The benefits of herbal supplementation to enhance fertility are unfortunately often overlooked. One of the most recognized and recommended herbs used in fertility enhancement is Chasteberry, or Vitex (vitex agnus-castus). Vitex is a fertility-promoting herb that has been used as far back as ancient Greece. Vitex was and still is recognized for its medicinal properties, which are used for a number of ailments. For centuries, women have used vitex to increase their odds of conceiving a baby, as well as to treat symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance and PMS.

Recently, Vitex has been shown in several clinical studies to help stimulate and stabilize the reproductive hormones involved in ovulation, cycle balance, and menstrual regularity. These studies also document a statistically-significant increase in fertility among women using vitex, with more pregnancies than in control groups using a placebo. Vitex is an important ingredient in both FertilAid and FertiliTea which contain a number of other fertility enhancing and nutritive herbs such as Red Raspberry Leaf, Green Tea, Ladies Mantle and Nettle Leaf.

Couples who are trying to conceive are now, more than ever, turning to more natural ways of addressing infertility. Scientifically validated ingredients found in fertility supplements may lead to increased conception rates and provide a healthful alternative to conventional treatments such as prescription drugs or other invasive treatment options.

Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from one of your ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes to await fertilization. On average, the egg will live approximately 12-24 hours awaiting fertilization from sperm. If conception doesn’t occur, the unfertilized egg, uterine lining, and additional blood will be shed during menstruation. If conception does occur, the egg will implant in the uterine wall within about 6-12 days.

Understanding ovulation is very important if you are trying to conceive. Here are a few common myths and misconceptions.

A Woman Can Get Pregnant Only One Day During Her Cycle. It is true that ovulation (meaning the dropping of one or more eggs) generally only occurs on one day of the cycle, but a woman can actually get pregnant from having had intercourse 4-5 days before ovulation occurs. The reason for this is that sperm can live for up to 5 days in a healthy reproductive tract.

A Normal Menstrual Cycle is 28 Days, and Ovulation Occurs on Day 14 of the Cycle. The reality is that every woman’s cycle is different, and generally ranges from 24-36 days. Ovulation days can also depend on the woman and can occur many days before or after the 14th day of her cycle. You will not necessarily be fertile on the 14th day of your cycle. Fertility Charting, and the use of ovulation microscopes and other predictor devices are recommended to test for your window of fertility.

Women Can Ovulate More Than once During Her Cycle. This is not true. Ovulation only occurs once during the cycle of a healthy woman. It is true that more than one egg may be released during ovulation, but this almost always occurs within 24 hours of each other.

Women Ovulate on the Same Day Each Month. While most women ovulate towards the middle of their cycle, the actual day can change month to month, even in women with regular cycles. This is one reason that tracking for ovulation is so important!

Have you ever received a faint positive on a pregnancy test… only to be later told by your doctor that you’re not, in fact, pregnant?

What you may have experienced is known as a “chemical pregnancy”, a clinical term used to describe what is essentially a very early miscarriage. In a chemical pregnancy, it is thought that an egg is fertilized but fails to implant. It is believed that chemical pregnancies occur quite frequently (around 50% of first pregnancies end in miscarriage very early on in the pregnancy). They often go unnoticed, however, unless the woman is actively testing for pregnancy with early detection pregnancy tests prior to her expected period.

More readily available today, early detection pregnancy tests can predict pregnancy days before a missed period. This style of test is designed for couples who want to know of their pregnancy as early as possible. Unlike older style tests that are to be used after a missed period, early detection tests have the ability to detect a chemical pregnancy.

Doctors are unsure why chemical pregnancies occur, but they are thought to be similar to a miscarriage in that there may have been chromosomal abnormalities in the developing fetus. Chemical pregnancies are not a result of anything that you have done, nor can you prevent them.

Many women suffer the emotional affects similar to those of a miscarriage; it is OK to feel these emotions and feelings of loss. While you will most likely not experience reoccurring chemical pregnancies, if you do, please see your doctor to discuss possible causes and solutions.

Hi all! A lot of people have been asking me about Pre-Seed- the sperm friendly lubricant. I poked around for information, and even got a letter from the inventor of Pre-Seed with a lot of information….

Here’s an excerpt from the letter:

* Does not harm sperm, or interfere with fertilization & embryo development as shown in presentations at major medical meetings
* Numerous US and International Patents
* Contains the plant sugar, arabinogalactan, for antioxidant support of sperm
* Pre-Seed is applied internally, because it has the same pH, ion concentration and viscosity (consistency) as fertile cervical mucus.
* Clinical tests support Pre-Seed’s benefit in peer-reviewed published studies
* Used in and recommended by hundreds of fertility and women’s health clinics -
* Read our many inspiring Users’ Stories from people just like you
(more…)

Many store-bought pregnancy tests recommend waiting to test for pregnancy until after a missed period. In contrast, early-detection pregnancy tests (often used in fertility clinics) may detect pregnancy as early as just six to eight days after conception!

Early pregnancy tests can come in the form of a test strip (like the ones clinics use to dip in a cup of collected urine) or a midstream test (the same style you would find at a drug store where you urinate directly on the test stick). Both test types are capable of detecting human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG (a hormone present in women’s urine during pregnancy) at very low levels (i.e. ~20 mIU/ml/hCG). This means that instead of waiting for a missed period to test for pregnancy, you can begin testing about a week before your missed period.

Many women don’t realize that the same pregnancy tests found in your neighborhood drugstore are available to purchase online for a fraction of the price. A store we recommended is early-pregnancy-tests.com. They have an excellent reputation, offer free shipping, and they also supply fertility clinics and hospitals around the country.

In the past, when a couple had difficulties getting pregnant, the assumption was that the woman was ‘barren,’ or somehow responsible for the couple’s infertility. We now know, however, that a male factor plays a role in almost one half the cases.

Some Causes of Male Infertility

• Low sperm count
• Slow sperm movement (motility)
• Abnormal shape and size of sperm (morphology)
• Obstructive tubal blockages
• Testicular injury or disease
• Varicocele (a dilation of the testicular veins in the spermatic cord that leads from the testicles to the abdomen)
• Genetic disorders
• Drug use
• Environmental toxins and radiation

The most common reason for infertility in men is the inability to produce adequate numbers of healthy sperm. Azoospermia refers to no sperm being produced while oligospermia is when few sperm are produced. Infertility in men may also be caused by impotence or disorders affecting ejaculation, such as inhibited ejaculation and retrograde ejaculation (when ejaculate is forced backward into the bladder). It may also be caused by failure of the testes to descend into the scrotum, which inhibits the production of sperm.

There are many other factors of male fertility issues that might explain low sperm count, slow sperm mobility and abnormal sperm shape. Some of which include- lifestyle, genetics, and physiology.

If You are a Man Trying to Conceive…

• Stop smoking. Both cigarettes and marijuana. Smoking has been directly linked to low sperm count. Long-term use of marijuana can also result in low sperm count and abnormal development of sperm.
• Drink less or no alcohol. Alcohol can reduce the production of sperm.
• Be Weight Conscious. Both overweight and underweight men can develop fertility problems. Too much weight can cause hormonal disturbances. Too little weight can cause decreased sperm count and functionality.
• Keep Cool and Comfortable. Heat is detrimental to sperm. Keep clothing loose and wear boxers. You should also avoid hot tubs and steam rooms.
• Have Regular Sex. Recent studies show that the chances of conceiving go up if you’re having sex with regularity.
• Avoid Chemicals and Toxins. Landscapers, contractors, manufacturing workers, and men who have regular contact with environmental toxins or poisons (pesticides, insecticides, lead, radiation, or heavy metals) are all at risk of infertility.
• Consider Proper Supplementation. Ensure optimal fertility by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrients and vitamins.

For more information about male fertility, visit the site of clinically proven FertilAid.

For many of us, our modern lifestyle tends to demand very little of us physically. Because of this, we tend to lead fairly sedentary lives. It is important to remember that while it may not be demanded of us at work or home, exercise is an integral part of any healthy lifestyle. When exercise is pursued in healthy moderation, it can also help to increase fertility! Anything you do to increase your health, increases your chances of conceiving a baby!

How Does Being Overweight Affect Fertility?

Being overweight or obese is often associated with fertility problems. In fact, 12% of infertility cases are due to weight issues. One common weight related infertility diagnosis is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Women who are overweight or obese have more fat cells in their bodies. This fat increases the amount of estrogen. Because 30% of estrogen comes from fat cells, women with more fat produce more estrogen. More estrogen can negatively influence ovulation, menstruation, and ultimately, conception. Women who are overweight also tend to be more resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance can force a woman’s body to produce excess levels of insulin, which inhibits ovulation.

The Benefits of Exercise

Getting a healthy amount of exercise not only lowers fat cells, but it also can help lower levels of stress. Stress has been found to inhibit fertility, and should be avoided, or at least minimized by those trying to conceive. Exercise releases endorphins, which encourages your body to better deal with pain and stress. Activities, such as yoga can be a great stress reliever and have been connected to optimal fertility by specialists world-over.

Additionally, exercise can help both women and men achieve good sleep patterns. Lack of proper sleep has been shown to negatively affect fertility, making sleep a facet of good health that should be addressed by those trying to conceive. As well as minimizing stress and increasing positive sleep patterns, exercise also increases blood flow to all areas of the body, including reproductive organs.

Too Much Exercise Can Have Negative Affects on Fertility.

Many women are unaware of the fact that too much and/or excessive exercise hurts their chances of conceiving a child. Excessive and extreme exercise which causes weight loss and low levels of body fat can cause ovulation to cease. The reason for this is that not enough nutrients in a woman’s body, i.e. too little fat, means that there are not enough nutrients to nourish a fetus. The body senses this and stops ovulation from occurring, making it impossible to get pregnant.

If you would like more information about health and diet while trying to conceive, click Here and/or speak with your doctor about an exercise regiment and proper diet plan for optimal fertility. Get out, get fit, and get pregnant!

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that smoking adversely affects women and men who are trying to conceive. Specialists recommend a number of things you can do to increase your chances of conception, such as lowering the intake of alcohol and caffeine, implementing an exercise regiment, and positive changes in diet, including proper supplementation. Quitting smoking is a recommended change that is extremely important to ensure good health, and to optimize your chances of getting pregnant.

Here are the Facts:

• Women who smoke are 60 percent more likely than nonsmokers to be infertile.
• About 25% of women of reproductive age smoke, and nearly a third of them continue to do so during pregnancy.
• Menopause occurs one to four years earlier in smoking women than non-smoking women.
• Nicotine has a disruptive effect on egg maturation, ovulation rates, and fertilization rates
• Smoking is associated with increased spontaneous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies.
• Chemicals in tobacco can alter the cervical fluid, making it toxic to sperm.
• Studies show that smokers require nearly two times as many in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts as nonsmokers.
• Women who smoke have an increased risk of cervical cancer, which may require surgery that involves removal of the uterus and sometimes ovaries, which leaves the women permanently infertile.

It is not just women who should stop smoking while trying to conceive...

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Polycyctic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), is a rather complicated syndrome that, to some degree or another, affects about one in ten childbearing age women, some of whom are experiencing infertility as a result.

PCOS symptoms tend to be experienced gradually, usually in the early teens, after the first menstrual period. The first symptom is generally weight gain. Hormonal changes that lead to this weight gain include the release of androgens which are hormones that cause the typical male physical characteristics. These changes in hormones spur on symptoms such as:

• Few or no menstrual periods
• Hair loss
• Hirsutism: Increased hair growth in strange places such as back, chest, face, fingers and toes
• Anovulation: The inability to ovulate or release a mature egg from the ovary each month
• Obesity
• Acne
• Skin Tags: Excess flaps of skin generally found around the armpit or groin
• Acanthosis Nigricans: Areas of thick, darker skin found behind the neck, thighs or vulva
• Sleep Apnea or snoring
• Depression
• Male-pattern baldness or hair thinning/loss
• Lower abdomen pain

PCOS Sufferers have many other symptoms and health problems that are not noticeable without doctor consultation. These symptoms can be detected by a doctor during diagnosis. They include, but are not limited to: Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, ovarian cycts, high blood pressure, and infertility.

For trying-to-conceive women, treatments of PCOS include fertility medications: Clomiphene (pills) and Gonadotropins (shots) can be used to stimulate the ovary to ovulate. Natural fertility supplements, such as FertilAid for Women, are popular with PCOS sufferers as well. If you would like more information about PCOS and ways to cope, see a fertility specialist or doctor. You may also wish to start a diet and exercise program to help lessen or cease your symptoms and inability to conceive.

One of our Facebook Fan Page friends just asked us, “I have heard that it is harder to get pregnant when you have an anteverted (tipped) uterus, Is this True?”

I would like to address this for her, and share the information with all of you who may be wondering about this. A tipped uterus, which is also known as retroverted or anteverted uterus, is one that that is tilted backwards or forwards away from your belly (as opposed to the more usual straight up and down uterus). About 20% of women are born with a tipped uterus, but in some cases it is caused by childbirth. A tipped uterus is not one of the most commonly discussed factors of infertility and is typically only thought to be problematic when trying to conceive after all other possible reasons for fertility problems have been ruled out.

In a small percentage of women, fertility may be affected by having a retroverted uterus due to the impediment of sperm flow to the uterus for implantation. Many specialists recommend intercourse ‘from behind’ or with the ‘missionary position’ with a pillow propped under your lower back. If you would like to rule this out as a possible reason for conception difficulties, you may see an ObGyn or fertility specialist for a routine pelvic exam. There are procedures such as uterine suspension that can be performed to straighten your uterus which may help improve conception odds.